Photo: Teaching dad to dance
Jason Kohlhase dances with daughter Kayla at Hot Salsa Cool Ballroom in Centennial Hall Saturday night. Attendees danced to the music of the Thunder Mountain Big Band and a Latin DJ. The 10th Annual fundraiser for the Juneau Montessori School in Douglas is the largest fundraising event of the year for the school. The school caters to ages 15 months through six years.

McCain targets cash for Essential Air Service for rural communities
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., addressed the Senate on Monday on a bill that would amend the Essential Air Service program, essentially cutting a large chunk in subsidies from the program. Many Alaskan air services and rural communities are taking this proposal hard, hoping it doesn’t pass.

Assembly to hear LAMP update, award Auke Bay Elementary contract
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly will have two meetings today — the first to hear an update on the Library Archives Museum Project, and the second to attend to regular business, including awarding the construction contract for the Auke Bay Elementary renovation.

Photo: Dwindling shadows
A pedestrian casts a long shadow on the downtown harbor dock Monday. Those shadows will be shortening quickly as the daylight hours are now increasing by nearly five minutes a day.

LAMP building design taking shape
The way the land next to the Gastineau Channel forked out and solidified is part of the inspiration for the design of the new state Library Archives Museum Project.

Photo: Rescuing an injured climber
Two members of Juneau Mountain Rescue work a rope system to lower an injured climber and three other members of JMR on Saturday at the base of Blackerby Ridge. JMR and the Alaska State Troopers teamed up to find and rescue the climber, Donovan Neal, who had fallen from a frozen waterfall known as Knuckle Buster. Neal injured his back and ankle and was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

Police & Fire
This report contains information provided to the Empire from law enforcement agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone listed in this report is presumed innocent.

Police and Fire
This report contains information provided to the Empire from law enforcement agencies. This report includes arrest and citation information, not conviction information. Anyone listed in this report is presumed innocent.

A bankrupt idea
The following editorial first appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

A reverse population bomb
When the subject of this column really blows up in about two months, I’ll be among those noting that no one heard the alarm bells going off because we were too busy talking about recycling and climate change.

'Zero tolerance' part of the nation's overcriminalization trend
“Zero tolerance” policies continue to result in injustices to our nation’s public school students. In one of the latest examples, a North Carolina school district’s application of zero tolerance may cause 17-year-old senior Ashley Smithwick, described by local media as a standout student-athlete, to miss the rest of her senior year.

Home of the brave
The following editorial first appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

New board would oversee Alaska fishing guides
ANCHORAGE — State Sen. Lesil McGuire of Anchorage is introducing a bill that would establish a board to oversee the sport fishing industry in Alaska, issue licenses and regulate guide services.

Few details on Colo. group that nixed Palin visit
DENVER — A Colorado group says it canceled a fundraising appearance by former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin because of safety concerns, but specifics about the event and the sponsor are elusive.

Bears' Baldwin an outdoorsman at heart
Six-foot-6, 275-pound senior post Ryan Baldwin doesn’t get pushed around down low. Also a left tackle on the offensive line and nose tackle on the defense line for the Crimson Bears football team, Baldwin possesses great size and strength for JDHS, and was a welcome addition to this year’s squad. The Crimson Bear senior grew up in Juneau but moved to New Wilmington, Penn., as a freshman before returning to Juneau for his senior year. He was named to the Alaska State All-Star football team in December as an offensive tackle, and is one of the Crimson Bears’ top rebounders on the hardwood. But his main passion is for the outdoors, where he prides himself as an avid hunter and fisherman.

Polar bear swim covers 426 miles
ANCHORAGE — On a summer day two years ago, polar bear 20741 decided to leave a remote Beaufort Sea beach. The 7-year-old, nearly 500-pound bear walked north into frigid Arctic Ocean water east of Barrow in search of sea ice.

Fairbanks grapples with air pollution enforcement
FAIRBANKS — Even though the state of Alaska is tasked with trying to convince federal officials that it’s tackling air pollution problems in Fairbanks, the state says it hasn’t sought more money to help enforce standards.

Muñoz' cell phone driving bill likely to advance
Juneau Rep. Cathy Muñoz’ bill cracking down on use of cell phones while driving is likely to become the vehicle through which the Legislature addresses the issue, House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell, said Monday.

Bond rating groups take new look at pensions
One of the nation’s top bond rating firms says it will begin considering unfunded pension liabilities of states when it sets ratings, but Alaska officials say that shouldn’t affect the state’s hard-won triple-A rating.

Testimony about witness lying causes delay
ANCHORAGE — The jury was sent home Monday in the Rachelle Waterman trial as the judge considered testimony claiming a witness lied in the woman’s first murder conspiracy trial.

EPA to study impacts on Bristol Bay watershed
JUNEAU — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to study how a world-class copper and gold prospect could affect the Bristol Bay watershed and that region’s premier commercial sockeye salmon fishery.